High pressure was settled over the UK this weekend so we had glorious weather all day. Unsure of our destination at first we rode along Colston Road, then through Staverton and along the higher road to Littlehempston for the first time. Michael wanted everyone to see the view of Totnes from Grattans, but this turned out to involve a detour towards the water treatment works so we contented ourselves with what we could see over the hedge before descending past some rather expensive-looking gated properties into the village.

Berry Pomeroy castle had always been an option, and now everyone felt up for the climb so we took the road through the woods to Berry Pomeroy and then up the B-road to the castle track itself. When we arrived the little café was bursting with cyclists - Plymouth CTC in fact, who had ridden up from Plympton this morning. Our youngsters had their heart set on Morrisons café so weren't interested in this one even though there was a strong smell of bacon everywhere. Castle entry would have been £3.20 each, and again that did not appeal. We contented ourselves with taking a few photos and chatting with the Plymouth CTC members - one of them had a battery upgrade that seemed to be of particular interest to John for some reason!

The road to Totnes was nearly all downhill so we were soon in Morrisons enjoying hot snacks and drinks at bargain prices. The cycle path along the river Dart was bustling with walkers today and full of colour in the brilliant sunshine. Dartington's Cider Press Centre was even more interesting than usual with their Apple and Cider weekend in full swing - there were magic shows, pottery classes, stalls and a live Irish band that created an uplifting atmosphere.

When we were finally able to drag the youngsters away we took the cycle path to Huxham's Cross and then followed the main road for a high-speed return to Buckfastleigh.

The weather was rather gloomy today so we decided on a reasonably fast ride to a destination that we haven't visited since 2003. We rode through Harbourneford to South Brent and Wrangaton, then took the road to California Cross. John always prefers to avoid off-road whenever possible, so we bypassed the Avon Railway track and headed straight for the café at Loddiswell. Along the way we couldn't help stopping at the picturesque Newmill Bridge where the geese, river, cottages and woodland made a delightful sight.

The café at the Avon Mill garden centre has been hugely expanded since our last visit, but so had the prices. Quality was excellent, however, and we managed to find some children's meals that were just the right size for cyclists with plenty of miles left to ride. It was Apple Day today at the garden centre: there were apples spiked onto every post along the entrance drive, and an apple press was in operation in the courtyard.

We knew we had some climbing to do, so we rode the hill past the old Loddiswell station and onwards through Woodleigh, Preston and Moreleigh, stopping only at Rattery for a short chocolate break. We felt very pleased with ourselves for making such an enjoyable ride out of rather drab weather.